I’ve been doing a lot of walking around San Francisco. The city is so different from Los Angeles, it’s hard to believe I’m in the same state. LA’s wide streets, barren terrain and urban sprawl have been replaced with cosy cafés, lush parks and tramways, making it feel much more like a European city. Despite how famously hilly it is, it’s surprising cycle-friendly. I hired a bike and rode over the Golden Gate Bridge, the city’s most iconic landmark.

The Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco’s numerous hills provide ample vista opportunities, and it’s not hard to come across stunning views across the city. The most spectacular has to be from the dual summits of Twin Peaks, which I hiked up from the colourful Castro district, following many steep streets and stairs. It was so windy up top I could barely stand upright.

The view of downtown from Twin Peaks

I haven’t felt any earthquakes, and I’m not sure whether to be relieved or disappointed about that. Apart from the ever-present threat of the next big quake, I could see myself living here.

My camera’s had plenty of use – I took about a million photos of the bridge, and other areas like the Embercadero and the Golden Gate Park are highly photogenic.